Why I went to Singapore to learn about Aussie pharmacy 🌍

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I didn’t go to Singapore for pharmacy. Not exactly. But like any of us who’ve been working in this space long enough, I can't walk past a dispensary, retail shelf, or scripted interaction without thinking:
What are they doing differently—and what can we learn from it?

And in Singapore, there was a lot to learn.

🇸🇬 A Brief History of Pharmacy in Singapore

Singapore is a place that doesn’t just keep up—it leapfrogs.
Its pharmacy industry is no exception. Tightly regulated by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Singapore Pharmacy Council, the profession there has leaned into clinical excellence, tech-enabled services, and retail efficiency—all while keeping public trust sky-high.

Their national healthcare strategy is “3 Beyonds”:

Beyond Healthcare to Health

Beyond Hospital to Community

Beyond Quality to Value

What does this mean in practice?

Pharmacists are increasingly supported to step out of the back room and into public health roles—delivering services, leading health education, and championing prevention.

So it’s no surprise that their retail pharmacy scene is polished, precise, and miles ahead in some areas.

🏪 Watsons vs Guardian: A Flagship Face-Off

Watsons isn’t just a pharmacy. It’s an experience.
Their flagship store was a masterclass in modern pharmacy retail—sensor-triggered displays, exclusive partnerships, curated skin and wellness zones, and a layout that felt like it was designed by a Silicon Valley UX team.

Watsons has deep ties with suppliers (think P&G, Unilever, J&J), which means they get early access, product exclusives, and smarter in-store tech trials. The result? A store that feels alive and constantly evolving.

Guardian, by contrast, takes a more boutique approach. Less neon, more trust. Their pharmacies feel curated—designed for the health-conscious, minimalist consumer. Fewer frills, but stronger clinical messaging.

Where Watsons seduces you with the sizzle, Guardian builds loyalty through consistency and health branding.

➡️ I posted a quick visual comparison of the two stores on my Instagram @pharmacy.down.under if you want to take a peek behind the shelves.

🧪 Inside the P&G Innovation Centre

If Watsons was the store of the future, then P&G’s Singapore Innovation Centre was the factory where the future is built.

This wasn’t your average corporate visit. We saw how products go from market insight → lab testing → real-world trials, all within a tightly engineered R&D loop.

More importantly, we saw the importance of pharmacist feedback in shaping product design. They test packaging, sensory feedback, even point-of-sale messaging with healthcare professionals before going to market.

And let me tell you—if you're running a pharmacy and still treating your supplier meetings like routine wholesaler chats... you're leaving influence on the table.

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🌏 Why Looking Overseas Helps Us Lead Locally

It’s easy to think we’ve got pharmacy figured out. But this trip reminded me that innovation rarely happens in isolation. It happens when we step outside our echo chamber.

By seeing how other countries design retail experiences, support scope expansion, and elevate pharmacy's public profile, we gain tools to refine our own approach.

And let’s face it—Australia’s community pharmacy scene is in a weird limbo right now. New services, regulatory shifts, funding pressures... We need inspiration and action.

Which brings me to this:
👉 If you're in my Skool community, I’ll be dropping a video walkthrough next week with practical steps we can apply from Singapore’s model—whether you're an intern, early-career pharmacist, or running a store.

Not in yet? Hit reply and I’ll send you the invite link. Or find it here.

I’ll leave you with this:
Sometimes the best way to build the future of pharmacy in Australia is to borrow the blueprints from somewhere else—and make them our own.

More soon,
[Your Name]
Founder, Pharmacy Down Under
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